NFL Hopefuls At UConn Pro Day In Storrs

DESMOND CONNER

STORRS – Taylor Mack started to tighten up at the right time, if there is such a thing.

Any earlier and he might not have been able to turn in the effort he did at UConn's Pro Day at the Shenkman Center Tuesday where 33 representatives from 29 NFL teams saw Mack turn in one of the best performances of the day.

Eleven Huskies, including linebacker Yawin Smallwood and defensive tackle Shamar Stephen, who participated at the NFL combine last month, competed at the event, which features the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical and broad jumps and three-cone drill along with individual position drills.

"I was excited, being under the radar [and] being out for those five games," said Mack, who played at 175 pounds. "It's just a blessing to come out and do the things that people don't have the opportunity to do but I was overall excited. I wish I could have jumped a little bit higher here, a little bit farther there but I'm not mad about the numbers I got."

Mack ran the 40 in 4.4 seconds. Some clocks had him at 4.38, which is the fastest time he ran before Tuesday. He also leapt 35½ inches in the vertical. He led in both events. He went 9 feet, 9 inches in the broad jump. He had the fewest number of bench presses with nine.

"All in all, decent day," said Mack, who needed to stretch after position drills because his legs started to tighten. "We'll see where it lands me."

In addition to Mack, defensive linemen Jesse Joseph and Tim Willman had nice days. Joseph ran a 4.6 which isn't bad for a 6-foot-3, 262-pound man. He also got up for the vertical (29½ inches).

"I thought I did well," Joseph said. "I left everything on the field."

Joseph, a Canadian drafted by the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes last spring before returning to UConn, did defensive line and linebacker drills. He figures to be a linebacker in the pros.

"I was trying to show them that fatigue wasn't a problem for me and I could do both," Joseph said.

Willman (6-4, 267) was third on the bench press with 26 reps of 225 pounds. Willman jumped 30½ inches in the vertical and ran a 4.7 40.

"I felt like I executed what I wanted today," Willman said. "You know, it's just been the same since I got to UConn, you have to prove everybody wrong. People probably didn't expect much so you have to open some eyes and try to put up good numbers. I'm happy with what I did today."

One player who clearly helped himself was reserve linebacker Ryan Donohue. It started with his 32-inch vertical and 9-1 broad jump. He had 29 reps on the bench and 4.8 seconds in the 40.

"I'm chasing my dream," Donohue said. "I talked to my parents, friends, family, everyone, sat down and asked should I go for it? And everybody said yeah, that they had nothing but faith in me, so I came out and tried to do my best. I came in trying to keep my nerves down but there's like 50 scouts out here and you're like 'oh, OK' but it also helps you because your adrenaline gets going. I didn't think I was going to get that many on the bench but my adrenaline helped me."

His best bench press of 225 pounds before Tuesday was 27 reps.

Tight end Spencer Parker had a solid day, too, including a 30½-inch vertical leap, 4.7-second 40 and 22 reps on the bench. He also posted a 9-1 broad jump.

"This whole experience, the journey, UConn football has been great," Parker said. "And then to come out here and have this opportunity in front of all these scouts, it's just awesome."

Punter Cole Wagner boomed three 50-plus-yard punts in a row. Kicker Chad Christen made some 50-yarders. The offensive linemen who competed, Jimmy Bennett and Steve Greene, both 300-plus pounders, did fine but not on the bench press, surprisingly. Bennett had 18 reps, Greene, 16.

Martin Hyppolite showed an ability to catch the ball whether it was swinging out of the backfield or as a downfield receiver. He lunged, caught it and fell on a deep pass play.

"I think I did pretty well. I wish I did more on the bench (15 reps). I'm definitely stronger than what my bench press says it is."

After being involved in a fatal car crash in February 2013, where doctors told him it was unlikely he would play football again, Hyppolite was grateful for the opportunity. "I just prayed every day that I would get an opportunity to show what I could do."

Schedule Released

UConn, hoping to improve on a dismal 3-9 season after consecutive 5-7 seasons, released its schedule Tuesday.

The Huskies, who will play seven games at Rentschler Field, will face six opponents who played in bowl games last season. The Huskies open their first season under Bob Diaco Aug. 29 at 8 p.m. against BYU. They play Army on Nov. 8 at Yankee Stadium.